


calligraphy & glasses

by caisha



Series: for it is not permitted that we stay [4]
Category: Reylo - Fandom, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Library, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Meet-Cute, Prompt Fill, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-01 23:11:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13305336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caisha/pseuds/caisha
Summary: Ben is a sociologist and Rey is a student worker at the college library.Prompt fill, "I didn't know you wore glasses?"





	calligraphy & glasses

She had been watching him since he had appeared earlier in the evening, disheveled and zombie-like, his hair was still perfect though. Rey hated it a little, that it always taunted her with its bounce and silky texture.

Not that she knew what it felt like, exactly, she had only daydreamed about it; she should have been a little embarrassed by her obsession, by the way her eyes were drawn to him whenever he came in to work - or study, or whatever it was he did.

Surrounded by young good looking college males all day was definitely a perk of the job, a little eye candy for someone who spent hours cataloguing books in relative silence. But Ben Solo wasn't a young good looking college male, a fact that Rey was painfully aware of; he was a researcher working on the University's large sociology grants - and definitely wasn't young, although she hadn't been immediately aware of that, couldn't tell by his looks.

And oh, she had studied him. Mostly his profile, and the broad back that was always hidden under t-shirts that seemed far too casual for a mid-30s sociologist. He came in every few days, late at night when the library was quiet, and usually when Rey was working. But he never said anything, just settled into one of the tables and stacked it high with papers and an odd book or two, which Rey appreciated - even in libraries, books were an uncommon accessory for research now.

"I'm headed home, Rey - I hope the night stays quiet," one of the older librarians said to her as he wrapped his scarf around his neck. "I doubt you'll have many other visitors in this weather - the supplies are in the back office if you need them. Have a good night."

Rey grinned, "Alright, Dr. Dameron - thank you!" He was always puttering over her when she had to stay late, but she had been working in the library on campus all four years and she could handle herself. Still, she still thought it was nice to have people worry over her - she would probably never get tired of it.

An hour or so passed as she reviewed the stack of books that had been returned to the bin during the day, mindless work that only served to encourage the daydreams about Ben Solo. Even though it was technically against the rules, she had earbuds in and was humming to herself, imagining herself singing to him.

_ What if I told you _

_ That I need you _

_ That I love you for all that you are? _

_ Would you hold it against me _

_ For speaking so freely? _

_ What would you say? _

_ Would you walk away? _

A throat cleared behind her, loud - as if he had attempted it a few times before - and she gasped, ripping the earbuds out; her body was frozen, back facing the direction of the voice. She knew it was him with every fiber of her being, even though she had never heard him speak before.

"Pardon me, sorry for scaring you," he spoke again and his dulcet tone sunk deep into her stomach and she turned around, biting her lip in a nervous attempt to avoid making a fool of herself. Moving slowly, as if she were underwater and very surely making her look like a crazy person, she finally faced him and brought her eyes up to his face. Somehow she had never realized how tall he was, but that wasn't what she noticed first.

"I didn't know you wore glasses," she said before clamping her hands across her mouth, a flush rising in her cheeks. Wasn't the number one rule of admiring someone from afar that you  _ don't  _ make it obvious you've studied them? Next to perhaps not interacting with them - she had been in good control of that, until tonight. That was out the door now.

Instead of laughing, or making it even more awkward, the corners of his mouth lifted up in a smile, "Uh yeah, sometimes - my contacts were bothering me today, so uh-"

He ran his hand through his hair and Rey's heart stopped momentarily as the strands pulled through his fingers effortlessly, falling into a natural part that she knew so well. Shaking her head, she finally remembered her job.

"Sorry about that - is there something I can do for you?" She watched as he adjusted the fine-rimmed glasses she had mentioned earlier, failing not to be entranced by his eyes and gestures. His fingers were long, she noted idly.

"Yes - I'm looking for a specific article from one of the earliest copies of a sociology journal. I know sometimes they aren't catalogued in chronological order, and they're not online so-"

Rey perked up, drawn out of her haze, "Absolutely! I love digging around the old stuff, do you have the article title?" He handed her a note card with his handwriting on it, "Wow your handwriting is pretty legible, don't normally see that in academics like yourself."

She didn't know what had come over her, but he seemed to draw out her nerves and with it her talkative streak. "It's a side effect of a younger me, unfortunately."

Rey tilted her head in silent question and watched as he tried to make himself smaller as he answered quietly, "I was convinced when I was younger that calligraphy was a noble pursuit, I would write all my papers in that style, much to the chagrin of my mother and teachers. I've since stopped, though."

"Oh, that's a shame - I think calligraphy is beautiful, I miss the art of letter writing," she said earnestly, and saw how his face lit up in interest. "I mean, as much as you can miss something that you were never around for, I suppose. But you can't really deny how incredible it is to read old letters."

Normally she kept those kinds of thoughts inside, knowing it made her sound like such a hipster millenial, but she felt it was only right to share a bit of herself after he told her of his calligraphy efforts. And she was rewarded with a light laugh and his smile, and Rey thought she would do anything to see that again.

"Well uh, I'll get started looking for this - might take a while," especially because her brain was fizzled and full of his laughter and the way his glasses made his eyes the focus of his face. Disarming was the word she would use.

Trying not to linger and make herself look too foolish, she ducked her head a little and moved past him - he moved out of her way and she felt his eyes on her as she disappeared into the stacks.

An hour later, she brought the old journal over to him, with a slip of paper marking the spot. He was deep in thought, scribbling something on the pad of paper he never went anywhere without. Rey quietly slid the journal onto a stack of books to his left, "Here you are, hope it helps."

But he didn't respond, barely even registered that she was there, and Rey frowned. She walked back to the check-out desk, trying not to take it personally; he was clearly very busy, this was his job after all. Not everyone could spend hours daydreaming of someone and have it not come back to bite them - he was an adult.

The rest of the evening passed slowly as she didn't feel up to listening to music anymore, meaning she just had to slog through her work without distraction, plagued by her mind and second-guessing their interactions.

A stack of four books, with the journal on top of them, were placed gently on to the counter she was working at, "Thank you for your help earlier, sorry - I was distracted by my thoughts."

Rey hated that she saw his face blush in embarrassment, knowing that she couldn't call him an asshole and move on, "Oh - that's okay, just glad to be helpful."

Ben watched her as she moved to take one of the books and check it in, "You are - very much so."

Her hands shook as she nodded, avoiding his gaze as she picked up the scanner. "Well, have a good night - stay safe."

Unable to say anything still, she felt him tap the counter and leave, the clink of the doors as they were opened and then closed again. She pulled the third book from his stack and saw a slip of paper sitting on it, ripped from some sort of note pad. Her heart sped up a little as she realized the writing was heavily stylized - calligraphy, if she had to guess.

_ This may be too forward, and if so please feel free to ignore it entirely and I will not take offense, but would you like to have dinner with me some time? I can't seem to stop thinking about you. _

It was short and simple, his named signed below, with a number. Rey bit her lip before she realized she was alone and let out a loud squeal. Turned out, Ben Solo was just as big of a nerd as she had imagined.

_ I'm free tomorrow night. I would love it. I'm Rey, btw. _

Almost instantly, he responded.

_ I know. _

 

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked it =) find me on tumblr or twitter @reylosource.


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